Dear Governor Kathy Hochul,
Picture this: a young girl, dreading the start of each month, not because of the natural process of menstruation, but because she lacks the means to manage it. This is the reality of period poverty, a crisis that disproportionately affects low-income women and girls in New York. Access to menstrual products is not a luxury but a necessity–one that determines a person’s ability to engage in daily life with dignity. While New York City has taken commendable steps to provide free menstrual products to students, shelter residents, and incarcerated individuals, this initiative must expand statewide. New York should provide free period products to all low-income individuals to combat period poverty, protect public health, and promote educational and workplace equality.
Lack of affordability of menstrual products has serious consequences. According to the Alliance for Period Supplies, 2 in 5 women struggle to purchase period products due to financial constraints (Alliance for Period Supplies). In New York alone, 667,618 women and girls between ages 12 to 44 live below the federal poverty level (Alliance for Period Supplies). This financial restrain forces many to resort to unsafe alternatives, increasing their risk of infections. A study in the Journal of Global Health Reports found that menstrual insecurity leads to higher rates of urinary tract infections and other preventable health complications (Michel et al.). These health issues cause both physical suffering and additional burdens placed on our healthcare system.
Furthermore, the lack of access to menstrual products directly impacts educational and professional opportunities. The New York Times reported that a vast majority of girls lacking access to period products miss up to a week of school each month (Kristof). This absenteeism perpetuates cycles of poverty, preventing individuals from reaching their full potential and contributing to broader societal inequalities. Imagine the potential lost when young women are forced to miss critical school days, simply because they lack access to basic hygiene products.
New York City has demonstrated the feasibility and benefits of providing free menstrual products through its existing initiatives for students, shelter residents, and inmates (“Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation”). This program confirms that large-scale distribution is possible and beneficial. Fifteen states have enacted laws mandating free menstrual products in schools, demonstrating a nationwide recognition of this issue (Wright). If other states can address period poverty, New York should lead by setting a higher standard in providing statewide access.
A common counterargument is that funding free period products would be too costly (Krasselt). However, this perspective fails to recognize the broader economic and social benefits. When individuals have access to menstrual products, school and work attendance improve, boosting economic productivity (Kuhlmann et al.). Additionally, preventing health issues caused by poor menstrual hygiene reduces long-term healthcare costs. If our government prioritizes funding public education and food assistance—both essential needs—then menstrual products, an equally undeniable necessity, should be included as well.
New York has a moral and civic responsibility to lead in menstrual equity, and I urge you, Governor Hochul, to champion legislation that expands free period product distribution statewide. Funding should be allocated to schools, shelters, and health centers to ensure that no one is forced to choose between hygiene and basic needs. We have the power to rewrite the harsh, sobering narrative, and menstrual equity is not a privilege—it is a fundamental human right. We must acknowledge that these are not isolated incidents, but systemic failures that demand immediate action. It is not just about providing products; it’s about restoring dignity and ensuring equal opportunities for all New Yorkers.
Sincerely,
A desperate, worried teenage girl
Works Cited
Krasselt, Kaitlyn. “Bill to Mandate Period Products Faces Opposition.” CTPost, 6 Mar. 2020,
www.ctpost.com/politics/article/Bill-to-mandate-period-products-faces-opposition-15112245.php. Accessed 12 March 2025.
Kristof, Nicholas. “The Shame That Keeps Millions of Girls out of School.” The New York
Times, The New York Times, 4 Jan. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/01/04/opinion/girls-school-menstruation.html. Accessed 12 March 2025.
Kuhlmann, Anne Sebert, et al. “Sage Journals: Discover World-Class Research.” Period Product
Insecurity, School Absenteeism, and Use of School Resources to Obtain Period Products among High School Students in St. Louis, Missouri, Sage Journals, 28 Dec. 2021, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/10598405211069601. Accessed 10 March 2025.
“Mayor de Blasio Signs Legislation Increasing Access to Feminine Hygiene Products for
Students, Shelt.” The Official Website of the City of New York, Office of the Mayor, 13 July 2016, https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/611-16/mayor-de-blasio-signs-legislation-increasing-access-feminine-hygiene-products-students-. Accessed 10 March 2025.
Michel, Janet, et al. “Period Poverty: Why It Should Be Everybody’s Business: Published in
Journal of Global Health Reports.” Journal of Global Health Reports, International Society of Global Health, 22 Feb. 2022, https://www.joghr.org/article/32436-period-poverty-why-it-should-be-everybody-s-business. Accessed 12 March 2025.
“New York State Fact Sheet on Period Poverty.” Alliance for Period Supplies, 2024,
https://allianceforperiodsupplies.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/New-York-Period-Poverty-2024.pdf. Accessed 10 March 2025.
Wright, Aallyah. “Teens’ Period Poverty Activism Has Stirred Lawmakers to Action • Stateline.”
Stateline, 6 June 2023, stateline.org/2022/05/16/teens-period-poverty-activism-has-stirred-lawmakers-to-action/. Accessed 12 March 2025.
